Process of making fertilizers from feces or the like



Dec. 13, 1932.

R. FLUCK ET AL PROCESS oF MAKING FERTILIZERS FROM FEoEs on THE LIKE steam /r Ima fing Press .i l

Juven/ors @any :707

Patented Dec.` 13, 1932 4 uNl'rED STATES PATENT" oFFlcE RICHARD IFLTJCX,I 0F BERLIN, AND ALFRED THEIL, OF'. BERLlN-SCBMARGENDOBF, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS `T0 WILHELM VON RADOWITZ, 0F BERLI'IN, GERMANY PROCESS 0F MAKING FERTILIZEtS FROM FECES OB THE LIKE i Application led J'une 4, 1927, Serial No.

f A This invention has for its object the treat` small amount of an absorbent material 'se. lected from the group of peat, or lignite,y

raising thetemperature of the mixture to about 60 ,0., while agitating said-mixture, separatingthe mixture into a mud which moves towards the bottom and intoa liquid above said mud, carrying of said liquid by a Siphon or similar means, and lfinally centrifuging said mud for desiccating purposes.

We now will give a full description of the' process according to our invention which will enable others skilled in the art to. which it appertains to use the same(V It w11l be understoodthat we are'not describing the treat'- ment of-sewa'ge, that is the li uid matter usually 'sprinkled on sewage-tiel s, but the treat# mentof animal lor fecal matter, of excreta, of night-soil and the'like contained insewage.

In carrying out our invention we preferably take a tank or container which might be air-tight or not. Welill this tank or container with the fecal matter leavin an adequate margin at the topl of said tan or container.l We then `add three to five per cent, in weight, of an absorbent' material selected fromfithe group lof peat, or lignite. Thereupon we raise the temperature of. the mixture to about C. and agitate said mixture by means of any known device.

Thereasons why we do this are as follows: Peat,J lignite and the like on the one hand will retain andfadsorb the lindissolved substances and on the other hand eagerly absorb dis solved substances and gases contained in the fecal matter. Peat or lignite, however, will not readily act in this manner, if their pores are filled with air. Besides, theseJ substances must act with a greatest possible surface in order to cause the adsorbing surface forces vto come most effectively into action.I We mix the treated matter; with a small amount of a mass, such as peat or the like, and heat L100 C. in the tank, there y the bottom and a more or less clear liquid at masas, and ai Germany :une as, 1926.

the mixture while agitating it, thus expelling the air from the mass, thus decomposing said mass into a 'great number of parts resenting an extended surface which comes into intimate contact with the fecal matter, and making it fit for absorbing the valuable fertilizing ingredients -of the excrements. Another reason why we proceed in the manner indicated resides in the fact that peat and lignite as such have no fertilizing properties. We therefore have devised a process of manufacturing a fertilizer containing only a small percentageof peat and the like and this could only be done by adopting a method of .improving the absorbing and adsorbing ability of the peat by expelling air or gases out of it and of causing excrements and peat to come into most intimate contact, in` other wordsl: Vof makingtthe surfaces as large as posslble." i

'After the mass has been agitated andJ heated in accordance with the composition o f the fecal matter and of the chosen additional substances to a temperature up toA will be ares'idue at the tqp which liquid `may be taken off in any known way. The residue is now removed from the `tank in such a consistency that it) may be taken out by means of a shovel. One of the advantages ofthe process according to our invention resides inl .the fact that this residue although of colloidal structure may be centrifuged so as'to reduce its contents ofl moisture to a very small amount. The product thus obtained is a most active organic fertilizer due to its colloidal character and its ability of forming carbonio acid.

The liquid which had been taken off abovey the residue in the tank is treated inany known way in order to precipitate the floating sub- I stances and the phosphoric acid which ma still be contained in said-liquid. The pro uct in this'wy obtained is a muddy mineral nitrogen fertilizer. When, using the term precipitate we desire of being understood that we do not mean prcipitation in a chemical sense nor the mere d settling of solid matter from the mass but we' intend to define therewith a pmcess of set- 10- tling of the solid dissolved and non-dissolved matter and a process of association of the solid matter with the entire additional matter such as peat ori lignite or the like, which;

combined process takes place when carrying out our present invention. A

The final product obtained by the process according to our invention vhas the following qualities First, it is a most concentrated organic fertilizer containing a very small per small volume; and fifth, the product obtained by precipitating the floating substances in the liquid which is taken out `of the tank`is a valuable mineral nitrogen fertilizer.

In Vthe`accompanying .drawing we have shown a diagrammatic sketch from which it may be seen how our new process is carried out in detail. l-

Thefecal mass which is stored up in a container ais conveyed in pre-determined quantities through the pump by wayof the pipe conduit c into the container el. In this container the fecal mass is agitated with the addition of peat 'and similar material from the container e and heated by means of steam passing through serpentines or also through the double wall of the containerd. Thereupon said mass is let off into the depositing container f in which said mass separates into -a muddy and a liquid part. The muddy part of said mass is conveyed by means of the worm conveyer g or a similar device into the centrifuge h. AThe centrifuged mud -if desired may be dried further in drying apparatus of known construction which apparatus is not shown in the drawing.

" The liquid from the container f as well as the water which is removed from the mass by means of the centrifuge h is conveyed through the conduit i' into the collecting'container k. From this 'container said liquid and water is pumped in pre-determined quantities into the agitating container m by means of the pump l. Within this container the phosphoric acid` three to five er cent, in weight, of 'an ad? sorbent materlal selected from the group consisting of peat and lignite, raising the temperature of the mixture in said container to about 60" C. while agitating said mixture,

thus causing said material to eagerly absorbv and adsorb solid organic fertilizing matter andv also fertilizing gases out ofthe fecal matter forming part of said mixture; allowing the solidmatter so obtained t settle; and removing" the liquid from the separated solid matter; removin further amounts of liquid present in the so d matter by centrifuging'; collecting all removed amount of liquid; and precipitating therecfrom inorganic fertilizer constituents,

2. The process of' simultaneouslyproduc-y ingan organic'and a mineral fertilizer from fecal matter contained 1n sewage wh1ch process consists in mixing said fecal matter with three to five per cent, in weight, of an adsorbent material selected from the group consisting of peat and lignite; raising the `.temperature of the mixture in said container to about C. while agitating said mixture, thus causing said material to eagerly absorb and adsorb solid organic fertilizing matter and alsovfertilizing gases out of t e v fecal matter fprming jpart of said mixture; allowin thesolid matter so obtained to settle; an from the separated solid matter; remo further amounts of liquid present in the solid matter by centrifugin removed amounts of liqui; precipitating therefrom inorganic fertilizer constituents; and returning the latter to the aforementioned solid matter which had been obtained by settling and centrifu g.`

In testimony whereo we aix our signatures. RICHARD FLUCK.4

ALFRED THEIL.

which still containedn the mass is caused to preclpitate by addition of known precipitating agents from-'the container n. The depositing isaccomplished within the container o. The above positioned water which is clear 'and free of putrefying constituents is con? veyed through the conduits t to the preliminary ioatingi apparatus.' The precipitated substances. which are conveyedf'to the press r by means of the Worm conveyer gv are freedv from water within said press 1'. i f" The apparatus which is required for grinding and mixing the two products thus dbtained are well known to the art andtherefore not incorporated in the drawing.

collecting all 

